The 2024 edition of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo kicked off Tuesday night just as the pop-culture world surrounding the Bayou City has once again embraced country music vibes as its aesthetic du jour. Being Houston, we always have a little giddyup in our daily struts, even if we drive SLABs or lifted F-5000s to this particular function.
The first night of RodeoHouston seems to always have a certain nervous magic to it, our return to the muggy and starched confines of NRG Park. The urban cowpokes of the Greater Houston area have returned and the city is healing itself, one corn dog and giant alien plush doll at a time.
Tuesday night marked Blake Shelton’s first appearance at RodeoHouston in six years and the sixth time he’s mounted the famous revolving stage in the middle of the stadium. Shelton’s brand of workhorse country has always been aggressively crowd-pleasing.
Shelton started the night with the fiery testimonial “God’s Country” — a sort of “A Country Boy Can Survive” update from 2019. Five years on, it seems to have kicked in the doors for the likes of Jelly Roll and Hardy. Fittingly, the latter has a songwriting credit for it, vibe-checking the Charlie Daniels Band and Bocephus along the way.
Shelton is an elder statesman of sorts in the corner of the pop country world that he inhabits alongside fellow 2024 performers Luke Bryan and Brad Paisley. The aw shucks everyman with a truck bed full of hooks and an earnest twang beating under his sweaty pearl snap Poncho shirt.
To the delight of every beating heart in NRG Stadium, Shelton’s wife of three years, Gwen Stefani, joined him onstage for one of the dynamic duo’s many duets they’ve recorded together — “Nobody But You” and “Purple Irises.” Keen eyes probably knew something was up when a black SUV rolled up near the stage in the middle of Shelton’s set. The recently-released music video for Gwen-centric “Irises” shows the pair clad in couture denim in a vintage living room swooning like Kenny and Dolly. If wedding songs are still a thing, add it to the Spotify playlist.
“Holy hell Gwen Stefani came out here and sang tonight,” Shelton said, looking genuinely flushed and revving up his cover of George Jones’ “Ol’ Red.”
Gwen Stefani joined Blake Shelton for one song.Photo by Craig Hlavaty
When the towering Okie debuted on country radio airwaves in 2001 with “Austin” he was up against Brooks & Dunn and Lonestar for FM supremacy. The song that broke Shelton open wide made its way late into Tuesday night’s setlist and got the smartphone flashlight nebula treatment, a high honor at RodeoHouston.
“What kind of people come out here in Houston to a stadium to watch a rodeo and then a damn country music concert on a Tuesday night?” Shelton chuckled, launching into “Hillbilly Bone”.
Lock in Houston, this horsey ride lasts until March 17.
Attendance: 59,461
Blake Shelton, February 27, 2024 at RodeoHouston
God’s Country
Guy With A Girl
Neon Light
Sangria
God Gave Me You
Nobody But You
Purple Irises (with Gwen Stefani)
Ol’ Red
Austin
Honey Bee
Hillbilly Bone
Boys Round Here
EXTRA FUN FACT: Back in 2010 when Shelton made his rodeo debut he was a part of a packed bill that reads like a murderer’s row of elderly zoomer nostalgia, featuring Demi Lovato, Justin Bieber, The Jonas Brothers, The Black Eyed Peas and Selena Gomez. Yes, 2010 was 14 years ago.
Photo courtesy of Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo
Blake Shelton serenades the crowd.
